


teenage televised taping of love

by fffearless



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Cliche af, Cute, High School AU, Lashton - Freeform, M/M, Prom, idk man I just love high school lashton au, nerd!luke, popular!ashton, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-04
Updated: 2013-12-04
Packaged: 2018-01-03 12:11:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1070328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fffearless/pseuds/fffearless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's dumb for Luke to get excited that Ashton would say something like that to him when he's about a million percent sure he's only into girls and this means nothing for his hopeless crush but he can't help the surge of butterflies tickling his stomach with the flap of their wings. </p>
<p>(Or the one where Luke likes Ashton then lots of things happen then he hates him then he likes him again anyway)</p>
            </blockquote>





	teenage televised taping of love

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to post this for about eighty years but then there was homework and school and other inconveniences but who cares I've posted it now!! I also didn't intend on this being about a million words either but idk I love lashton so
> 
> Title taken from Happy by The Maine
> 
> Also this is supposed to be cliche and ridiculous, which is why it is. Enjoy my loves!

Luke pushes his thick-rimmed glasses further up the slope of his nose and tries to write his notes as fast as the teacher is talking. He's rambling about Korea and China and Kim Il Sung and Luke has no idea what he's saying but he scribbles it all down anyway. Finally the bell goes and Mr Hunnable halts, face purple with lack of breath, then dismisses the class.

Luke caps his pen and slides his books into his bag, goes out into the hallway and tries to make his way outside so he can eat. His bestfriend Calum barrels into him from behind as he exits the classroom and he stumbles, smashes into some lockers.

"Ow," he says, face mushed into the metal.

Calum laughs loudly and claps him on the back. "Come on, I'm so hungry."

Luke rolls his eyes and peels himself from the lockers then follows Calum outside to their usual table. 

The remainder of their trio is already there, fluorescent pink head shining brilliantly in the sun. Michael's eating but says hello as they sit down anyway, the greeting muffled through his sandwich. Luke turns his nose up but Calum grins and says hi too.

The wooden picnic bench is damp from last night's rain and Luke squirms as he sits down. He fishes around in his bag for some kind of food his mum prepared for him and zones out on Michael and Calum's conversation. They're talking about some show Luke doesn't watch so he focuses on his chicken sandwich and runs through the importance of cognitive interviews in his head so he's ready for his Psychology test next period. 

He's thrown back into reality when Calum thumps him on the back and he chokes on the crust of his multi-seed full-grain bread. 

"Don't look now," Calum hisses out the corner of his mouth. "But that Year 13's been staring at you since we sat down."

Luke raises an eyebrow in disbelief and tries to follow Calum's line of vision. He thumps him again.

"Ow!" Luke says.

"I said don't look!"

Luke frowns and adjusts his glasses. He waits for Calum and Michael to start arguing over who should've won last night again then sneaks a glance over to guy Calum was talking about.

Luke's eyes widen in surprise when he sees that Ashton Irwin is staring at him. Ashton Irwin with his wavy fringe and green eyes and crinkly smile, the guy that Luke's had a crush on for the past two years. Looking at Luke. Luke Hemmings with his gangly arms and massive glasses and weird flicky hair. 

Luke looks at Ashton too and it looks like they're having some kind of long distance staring competition so Luke blinks and Ashton does the same. Ashton's mouth cracks into a smile and he raises his hand to wave a little. Luke hides a smile and looks down, his cheeks going pink. He waves back.

Ashton smiles again then looks away, goes back to his food and friends and accurate social status. 

Luke does the same, finishing his sandwich and listening to Michael and Calum yelling loudly about reality tv. He wonders what the hell that was, and why Ashton Irwin was looking at him, Luke Hemmings. There's no logical explanation other than he feels sorry for him and he sighs, yet glances back over to Ashton.

Luke watches as girls swarm him like angry bees to a pretty flower and how one sits on his lap, clutching his bicep, another plays with his hair and someone else massages his shoulders. A knot of something like jealousy ties his stomach tight and he forces himself to turn away and calm the erratic beating of his heart.

-

The final bell of the day rings and Luke's the last one to stumble from his Psychology class, brain frazzled from explaining and evaluating psychological studies. He thinks he did okay in his test.

He's going against the current in the stream of students in the quest to reach his locker and after being bounced around like the ball in a pinball machine he finally gets there. He dumps some History books in and grabs his Politics folder for the homework due in tomorrow then slams it shut. Much to his surprise, he comes face to face with Ashton.

"Fuck," he mutters, putting a hand over his heart.

Ashton grins, wide and dimpley and Luke wants to cry because _why is he so pretty???_

"Hey," he says. 

Luke's still recovering from the shock and a giggle bubbles out of Ashton's lips and he tells him "sorry."

"It's okay," Luke eventually says. 

It goes quiet and Luke'd break the silence but he's never spoken (or ever even been in this proximity) to Ashton the whole time he's been crushing on him and he doesn't want to say anything dumb and risk Ashton walking away before they've even said two words to each other. 

So he waits and eventually Ashton says "Luke," and Luke's actually kind of surprised Ashton knows his name but he gets over it and listens on "how you doing buddy?"

Luke frowns. Talk about anti-climatic. "Uh, I'm good," he says. "How are you?"

"I'm good thanks," Ashton replies. 

Luke wonders if Ashton's intention was to make them have a conversation that's awkward as hell. The halls have cleared now and it's just them standing beside Luke's closed locker. Calum will be wondering where Luke is.

"Well I uh, I better go-" 

"Wait!" Ashton almost yells. Luke eyes him sceptically. "Okay yeah so I know this is weird cos we've never spoke before cos I have my friends and you've got yours but I've seen you around the school and in Music and I think you seem pretty cool and I think we could be good friends," he rushes.

Luke is very confused. "You want... To be friends?" 

"Yeah!" Ashton beams. "Wouldn't that be great? Here, take my number-" he grabs Luke's scrawny wrist and uncurls his fingers so he can write on his palm with a pen pulled from his bag "-just text me, yeah?" 

Luke's heartbeat is increasing with the warmth of Ashton's touch so much that he almost doesn't comprehend what he's saying? "Text you?" He asks, just to make sure he heard right.

"Yeah!"

One of the girls from lunch appears at the end of the corridor and calls Ashton's name. Ashton immediately drops Luke's hand and he turns to face her.

"One minute," he calls and the girl nods and giggles.

Luke scowls.

"Looks like I've gotta go then," Ashton says, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. He looks at Luke's still open palm. "Don't forget," he winks, then slopes off, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders when he reaches her and Luke stands there sour-faced, watching until they disappear.

He glances down at his hand, the numbers burn into his palm from the force Ashton wrote them in but Luke doesn't mind, it's a reminder that it happened and he's not dreaming and that _Ashton Irwin totally wrote his number on Luke's body_. 

And it's not that Luke's not pleased with what's happened today but he's confused and wants to know why, and why now? Why today of all days? He sighs and lets his head fall forward onto his locker, the cold metal cooling down his rather warm face. 

He'll think about it later.

-

Luke totally forgets all about it when he gets home, it's only until he's in the shower when he sees the numbers still inked to his skin.

_Shit_ , he thinks, and sticks his hand out of the curtain and continues to wash the rest of himself.

When he's out, a towel tied loosely around his hips, he gets his phone and stores the number. It sits there, untouched, until Luke goes to bed. He decides then that maybe he should text Ashton, because he asked him to and it'll be awkward seeing him tomorrow if he doesn't. 

_Hey_ he types, slower than his grandmother _it's Luke :)_ he finishes before immediately closing the messages, locking his phone and throwing it across the room like a grenade that's about to blow up because he said the wrong thing.

It doesn't, but Ashton doesn't text back right away either. Hmm.

Luke gives the phone one last look before rolling over with his back to it, and falling into a log-like sleep. 

-

Stumbling around the room trying to locate his phone at 6:30 the next morning whilst his alarm is blaring and awakening the whole neighbourhood is not fun, but turning off the alarm and finding a reply from Ashton was.

_Hey man :)_ is all it says but Luke grins regardless, his heart pounding, then tosses the phone onto his bed and drags himself through his morning routine.

-

Luke trudges through the halls as he tries to locate his locker through the sea of hormonal teens, and when he gets there he squints at the prom flyer slapped across it. He pulls it off and drops it to the ground, uninterested. 

"Lucas!" Calum yells, pushing him from behind so he bashes his forehead on the top of the locker. Luke rolls his eyes.

"Calum," he says dryly, taking out the necessary books then closing the locker.

"Hey man," Calum grins.

"Hello," Luke says, somewhat sarcastically, trying to get his books in his backpack without actually taking it off.

"Listen man, so I went out with this girl last night and-" Calum starts.

Luke would normally listen to what Calum has to say about his dates and whether they had a nice rack or not but he's pretty sure that's Ashton with his eyes on him making his way to where Luke's standing so he gulps and tries to flatten his fringe that wouldn't go right this morning. 

"Hey," he mouths as he wafts past.

"Uh, hey," Luke stumbles over the words and Ashton grins like a shark.

After Luke's watched him go off down the corridor he zones back in on Calum, only managing to hear "nicest arse ever!" before the bell goes and they slump off to their separate lessons.

-

Luke's suffered through a double period of Politics and he'd ram his head into a wall if he didn't know that he's got Music next. (And probably even more so if there wasn't the possibility Ashton might be there too.)

He glances around the room quickly to see if Ashton's there but he finds that he's not, and he can't deny his disappointment, but he goes to sit in his usual seat anyway. 

The teacher tells them what to do then disappears off to get coffee or have a smoke or fool around with a drama teacher in the staff room and Luke pulls out some theory work, starts waffling about the history of the electric guitar.

About halfway through the lesson the door swings open and no one looks up, assuming the teacher's returned, but when they don't start yelling at the kids in the corner for messing around with the sound effects on Garageband Luke has to have a look.

He peers over the top of his glasses and sees Ashton, who grins and waves. Luke pushes his glasses up and waves less manically back, despite how he feels inside. He thinks that's it but then he sees Ashton stepping over wires and weaving through strings of people playing guitar to get to Luke.

Ashton pulls a chair over and flops down into it, pushing his hair back off his forehead and letting out a loud exhale.

"You alright?" Luke asks tentatively. If he was sweating Luke'd be sure he'd just ran a marathon.

"Yeah," Ashton says, seemingly regaining himself to sit up straight and beam at Luke. "Just running around trying to do stuff. Got a free period and need to finish up some work," he explains.

"Ah," Luke says, unsure of how else he could respond to that. 

"Was just going to record some stuff for my assessment," Ashton gestures to the sound-proof room next door with the drum kit inside. "Didn't realise you'd be in here though," he almost winks, nudging Luke with his elbow.

Luke laughs a bit and flicks his hair. "Yeah," he says, again unaware of what else he could say. 

"Alright, guess I better get this recording done then," Ashton says, slowly rising from the chair.

"Oh. Okay," Luke says, regrettably a little sad.

Ashton smiles. "Text me yeah?" 

"Uh, y-yeah," Luke manages, watching Ashton back away. 

Ashton winks then disappears into the sound-proof room, leaving Luke dumbstruck and his heart flip-flopping around his chest.

-

He texts Ashton when he gets home.

Ashton doesn't reply right away and that's when Luke remembers that oh yeah, Ashton's probably got friends and they probably go out on Fridays and he probably doesn't sit at home eating crisps and playing Mario Kart.

After Luke's eaten the entire contents of the fridge and his mum still isn't back from work he starts to get bored. Luckily enough, his phone chimes with a new message.

Luke excitedly scrambles around the sofa and when he retrieves the phone he sees Ashton's reply.

_Hey buddy :) whatcha up to?_

Luke questions whether he should let Ashton know how lame he actually is.

_Nothing really, just chilling_ he opts for.

Ashton replies instantly. 

_Sameeee. Hey man you busy tomorrow? :)_

Luke's shocked. He literally gasps. Is this a trick question? What is he supposed to say?

_Not that I know of_ yes, very cool. _why?_

_We should hang out :)_

Luke almost goes into cardiac arrest. Ashton wants to hang out. With Luke. Outside of school. On a Saturday. 

_Sounds cool bro_ he manages to type without squealing.

_Sweet, come to mine whatever time tomorrow :)_

Luke doesn't reply through fear of passing out with excitement. Instead he puts his phone away and tries to calm the butterflies and stop grinning like a maniac incase his mum comes home and starts asking him questions. 

-

It takes Luke at least two hours to settle on something decent enough to wear and even then he's still not pleased with what he looks like. His hair's not right and a huge spot has appeared on his forehead.

He considers not going but he knows he'll kick himself if he doesn't plus seeing Ashton is a great distraction from the pile of homework that's slowly mounting up on his desk. 

His mum's at work again so he leaves the house without a word then starts trying to find Ashton's place with the directions he'd sent him.

He finds it's not far from his house, just a few streets over, and he dithers about on the front porch for a while trying to fix his hair and conceal his spot before he can actually find it in him to knock.

He finally does and it's a good few minutes - Luke even considers knocking again - before the door is flung open.

Ashton stands there shirtless and yawning, the hand that's not on the door scratching through his already messy hair.

"You're early," Ashton says, not accusingly, once he's recovered from his yawn.

Luke has to advert his gaze from the golden expanse of Ashton's abs and the grey joggers sitting low on his hips to defend himself.

"You said whatever time," he shrugs. "Also, it's two in the afternoon."

"Exactly. Too early," Ashton says with a cheeky grin. "Anyway, come in," he moves aside to let Luke in. 

He knows he's not really early and Ashton's not really annoyed at him but he feels a bit uncomfortable anyway as he shuffles inside. 

"You want a drink?" Ashton asks as Luke closes the door.

"No I'm alr-"

"Coke alright?" Ashton cuts him off.

Luke frowns.

Ashton slopes off down the hallway and Luke can't help but let his eyes drift from his broad shoulders down to his toned back, the dips at the base of spine and just _glances_ at the soft curve of his arse.

"You coming?" He hears, and that's when he remembers where he is.

He coughs and Ashton stares at him, bemused. 

"Yeah," Luke manages, and he swears he sees Ashton smirk before he disappears into the kitchen.

-

They've been chilling in Ashton's room all day (which is exactly like Ashton, Luke decides. There's stuff everywhere and the bed's not made but Luke likes it anyway) just talking about everything and nothing. Luke realises that Ashton's actually really cool, not like he didn't know that already, but what with Ashton being a lot more popular than him he thought he might take the piss out of him or something. He hasn't, and Luke's glad.

It's only then Luke notices a guitar in the corner, half-hidden by what he assumes is a dirty shirt strewn over it.

"You play guitar too?" Luke asks into the comfortable silence the pair had fallen in.

"Oh, yeah," Ashton beams, leaning across the bed to grab it. He's put a shirt on now (much to Luke's disappointment) but he stares anyway.

He sits it in his lap and starts plucking aimlessly at the strings. "I play a lot of things, guitar, piano, bass," he says, settling into a gentle riff. "I just like drums the best."

"That's awesome, I wish I could play that many," he says wistfully.

"You sing though right?"

"Yeah well, I try," Luke says, fiddling with his fingers.

"Don't give me this 'try' stuff, I've seen your youtube channel, you're good!" 

Luke's face burns and suddenly his lap is the most interesting thing in the world.

"That's why I started talking to you actually," Ashton admits quietly over his soft playing.

Luke's head snaps up. Finally, the answer he's been looking for. 

"I thought you seemed kinda cool," he trails off. Now it's his turn to be shy as he avoids Luke's gaze and watches his fingers sliding across the silver strings. "So I decided I'd try and be your friend."

"Oh that's, that's... Thank you," Luke stutters. He can't believe Ashton thought he seemed cool.

Ashton finally looks up. "It's okay, I guess," he says, and Luke finds himself grinning at his silly giggle breaking through the last word.

Ashton stops playing. "Anyway," he places the guitar beside him. "You going to prom?"

Luke crinkles his nose up. "God, no," he laughs. 

"Aw, why not?" Ashton pouts.

"Just not my thing," Luke shrugs, picking some fluff off his jeans.

"That's a shame, I think you'd look great in a tux," Ashton says.

Luke looks up to see if Ashton's taking the piss. It wouldn't seem so as he just smiles innocently at him with his stupid big green eyes.

It's dumb for Luke to get excited that Ashton would say something like that to him when he's about a million percent sure he's only into girls and this means nothing for his hopeless crush but he can't help the surge of butterflies tickling his stomach with the gentle beat of their wings. 

"Hm," he manages to get out before catching sight of the clock by Ashton's bedside. "Holy crap is it eight o'clock? I should probably get home," he says, somewhat grateful for an excuse to leave.

"Oh, okay," Ashton says, and is that sadness Luke can see?

When they're still on the inside of Ashton's front door Ashton pulls Luke into a hug and says "I had a good time, we should do it again."

Luke pulls away and takes in Ashton's hopeful smile and nods. "Yeah, we should," he says and with a final wave he's out the door and walking home with his hands shoved in his pockets, a goofy grin plastered to his face.

-

They do the same thing next weekend, but this time Ashton's at Luke's house.

They're halfway into a really crappy horror film when Ashton gets bored and starts lobbing popcorn at Luke's head.

"Ashton," Luke says, as he turns to face him a piece of popcorn bouncing between his eyes.

Ashton giggles and clutches the bowl to his chest. "Yes Luke?"

"Why are you-" he's cut off by a piece of popcorn landing on his tongue.

"Score!" Ashton yells and Luke scowls as Ashton continues giggling and throwing popcorn at him. Eventually Luke leans forward and dumps the contents of the bowl on Ashton's head.

Once they've cleaned up a little and Ashton stops pouting at Luke they turn off the film. Luke looks up to find Ashton staring intently at him.

"Uh, is there still popcorn on my face?" Luke asks, hand flying up to touch his cheek.

"No," Ashton says simply. "I was just wondering what you'd look like without glasses."

"Oh, erm," Luke says.

"Yeah, come here-" Ashton leans forward to where Luke's sitting across from him and gently takes his glasses from his face. "See, much better."

"Yeah, but I can't see," Luke says, barely being able to make out a fuzzy Ashton-shaped figure before him. 

"Do you have contacts?"

"Yeah but I don't like-" 

"Where are they?" He hears, and feels a weight lift from the bed.

Luke sighs. "Bathroom. Under the sink."

A moment later Ashton's pressing Luke's contacts case into his palm and handing him a mirror. 

Luke hates this and he curses as one slides around to the back of his eyeball but he's done it, and he sits there blinking wildly like a newborn puppy.

Slowly Ashton comes into focus. "You look great," he beams. "Your eyes are amazing."

Luke's cheeks go pink.

"Oh my god, you know what else'd look great-" Ashton gets up again and stands behind Luke.

In the mirror he's still holding Luke can see Ashton playing around with his hair and he closes his eyes and tries to ignore how great it feels when Ashton's fingertips accidentally drag gently across his scalp. There's suddenly an absence of his touch and Luke opens his eyes, coming face to _abs_ with Ashton as he fiddles with Luke's long flippy fringe.

"Do you have a hairbrush?" 

"Nah," Luke rolls his eyes. "Over there," he gestures.

Ashton retrieves the brush and starts doing something to Luke's fringe that he obviously can't see. After a few minutes he steps back, grinning as he admires his work. 

"Take a look."

Luke raises the mirror back to his face and sees that Ashton has given him a quiff. He automatically wants to flatten it and slide his fringe back over his face but if he's honest, it actually looks pretty good. 

"Wow, uh, thanks Ash," he grins. He looks like a completely different person.

"It's alright, you wait til Monday you'll have the girls all over you," Ashton winks.

Luke's face falls. "Uh, yeah," he agrees. "All the girls."

Ashton doesn't notice how robotic Luke sounds and he nudges him with his elbow. "I've even got a couple of beanies you could borrow."

"Uh, thanks man," Luke mumbles, fiddling with a string bracelet tied around his wrist. 

-

After Ashton leaves Luke faceplants his bed and stays there for the rest of the evening.

He's annoyed. He doesn't really know why or who with but he thinks he's mad at Ashton for not realising Luke's in love with him and he's mad at himself for actually being in love with him. 

He doesn't think he can keep hanging out with Ashton without continually getting his heart trampled on but he doesn't want to stop hanging out with Ashton because he's awesome and he gets Luke and he's really funny and so so beautiful and oh god Luke is screwed. 

He groans loudly but it's muffled by his pillow. He has no idea what he's going to do.

-

"Nice hair," Calum says on Monday morning as Luke trudges right past him so he can get to his locker.

Luke swivels on his heel. "Thanks man."

Luke had decided to style his hair the way Ashton had done so. Not because Ashton had done it, but because he wanted to. (Or maybe that's just what Luke keeps telling himself so he doesn't feel so dumb.)

"Why'd you change it?" Calum asks as they fall into step walking towards their lockers.

"Dunno," Luke shrugs. "Fancied a change.'

"Hmm," Calum says. 

If Luke didn't know better he'd think Calum's jealous.

"You okay man?" He asks him.

"Me? Of course," Calum answers, yanking his locker open. The door blocks him out of Luke's sight.

"You sure? You're being a bit... Off..." He settles for.

"Noooo," Calum says, shutting his locker. "I'm _fine_. But I'm not too sure about _Ashton_ , perhaps you wanna go check if he's okay too?"

"Wow, really?" Luke asks. He's narrowing his eyes at Calum. "You're jealous of Ashton?"

Calum sighs. "Not jealous," he exhales again. "Just... I don't know man, I feel like we haven't hung out in forever and then Ashton comes in and gives you a make-over and I just, I don't know, I miss my buddy man," he says.

The corners of Luke's mouth flick into a smirk. "Awww, Callybear!" He yells, throwing his arms around Calum's neck.

Calum struggles and laughs, attempting to wriggle free but Luke's got a strong hold on him. "You don't have to feel like that," he says, finally letting go. "Just tell me when you wanna hang out bro, you know I'd never say no."

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts!" Luke yells. "Hey, this weekend. Me and you, Pizza Saturday yeah?"

Calum's eyes light up. "We haven't had Pizza Saturday in ages," he says in awe. "Deal!"

Luke laughs at him and they wander off to their next lesson together, arms around each other's necks, bumping into Michael as they go.

"Wow, so that's what your eyes actually look like," Michael says in admiration.

Luke slaps him in the stomach. 

"No, it's good man," Michael says. "I like this," he gestures to Luke's face.

Luke grins. "Thanks bro," and then he loops his arm around Michael's neck too, dragging him the opposite way to where he needs to be, much to Michael's displeasure.

-

It's the weekend and Pizza Saturday is about to commence. Luke is waiting for Calum and soon enough there's a knock at the door and Calum's there wearing a cow onesie and carrying an overnight bag.

Luke eyes him. "Did you walk here in that?"

"Yeah," Calum says happily, entering Luke's house.

Luke is still looking at him. "Why?"

"Why not?" Calum asks, going into the living room and dumping his bag on the floor.

Luke is very confused. He looks at Calum again but he only gives him a smile that means _there is absolutely nothing wrong with walking through Sydney at night wearing a cow onesie and no shoes_ so Luke decides he'll leave it.

Calum makes himself comfy on the sofa so Luke finds the phone and orders enough pizza to feed the population of a small Vietnamese village. 

-

A few hours and what Luke assumes is his body weight combined with Calum's in pizza later, the boys are laying on the living room floor that's been laid with various blankets and pillows so it's essentially a new fluffy floor.

It's quiet because they're watching some dumb action movie featuring Bruce Willis but suddenly Calum rolls onto his stomach to face Luke.

"Bro! I totally forgot to tell you! Remember that girl I was telling you about-"

Luke doesn't.

"Where we went to the cinema and her perfume smelt like flowers?"

Still nothing.

"Kirsty?"

Hm. "The one with the nice arse?" Luke tries.

"Yes, Kirsty!" Calum says, grinning. "Well I know we decided prom's not our thing but I think I really like her so I asked her and she said yes!" He slaps the floor through sheer excitability. "How great is that?!"

Luke wishes he could be so pleased about having a date to the prom in which he is not attending. "That's very great," Luke says, attempting to sound impressed. 

"I know right!"

Calum actually seems really happy about this so Luke tries to be glad for him but there's a funny feeling tugging at his insides that feels a little bit like sadness. It's not about prom because Luke's not too fussed over that but it's the fact that Calum's got someone who wants him and Luke doesn't.

Luke guesses his face isn't as happy as he's trying for because Calum asks him what's up.

"Nothing," Luke says, forcing a tight smile.

"Come on man," Calum says, sliding closer to Luke on his stomach. He looks like a penguin.

"You look like a penguin," Luke tells him. 

Calum shakes his head and moos, pointing at his onesie. "Now, tell me what's up."

"Nothing is up Callybear," Luke says, smile sickeningly sweet.

"Now Lucas," Calum gets up and plops himself down beside Luke, throwing an arm around his neck. "You seem to forget that I've known you for ooh, about, ten years now?" Calum pretends to calculate. "I know when you're lying to me and I know that something's wrong. You either tell me now or you don't tell me now, but I think we both know what I'm capable of if you choose the latter..."

Luke gulps. He definitely knows what Calum's capable of. One time he greased up the entire inside and outside of Luke's locker because he didn't tell him where he'd got his new shirt. His textbooks are still a little oily now.

"Okay, fine," Luke sighs. "It's just, you know. It's... hahsthtond."

"It's what now?" Calum yells, cupping his ear with his hands.

Luke groans. "It's Ashton okay!" 

"What's he done?" Calum's face hardens and even Luke gets a little scared.

"Nothing, nothing! He hasn't done anything," Luke says quickly. 

Calum's features return to their usual state. "Well what about Ashton then?"

Luke groans again, a lot louder this time, throwing his face in his palms. "It's just, you know how I've had a crush on him _forever_ -"

Calum nods. He knows Luke's into guys.

"And it was easier before because I could just like, admire him from a distance and know that he wouldn't know about it and that was good because I knew it wouldn't go anywhere. But now-" Luke sighs, taking his face from his hands. "-now it's like, we hang out and we're friends and I've still got this massive dumb crush on him and now if he finds out it'll be crap and we won't be friends anymore cos he'd never like me cos he's gorgeous and funny and popular and into girls Calum! Why is life so crap?" He wails dramatically, letting his head fall into Calum's fleecy lap.

Calum pets his quaffed hair. "You really like him don't you?"

Luke nods. His eyes are squeezed shut like he's trying to eject himself out of this whole liking Ashton situation.

"Why don't you tell him then?" 

"Are you insane?" Luke shoots bolt upright to look Calum in the face. "Did you not hear what I just said? He's gorgeous and he likes gorgeous girls-" Luke gives himself the once over "-And I am neither of which."

Calum scoffs. "Dude if I liked dick I'd be all over you-" Luke's cheeks burn "-Ashton would be dumb to not want to go out with you. Look at you man." 

Luke doesn't know what to say so he doesn't say anything.

"All I'm saying is Lukey, I think you should give it a try? I mean, what have you got to lose?"

Luke thinks about it. What does he have to lose? 

He takes a deep breath. "Alright, I'll tell him."

Calum whoops. "Yes Lucas!"

Luke gives an exasperated grin and hugs Calum's middle. "Thanks man," he mumbles.

"Anytime bro," Calum replies, carding his fingers through the soft tufts of Luke's hair at the back of his head.

-

It's Monday at school and Luke sits in form planning out the perfect way to get Ashton to date him. He decides the best thing to do is to go up to him and demand Ashton says yes.

It might not work, but it's worth a try, 

All through form then first and second period Luke shakes with anticipation, hoping he'll see Ashton at break whilst simultaneously hoping he doesn't. He feels like he's going to vomit all over his algebraic fractions. 

The bell ringing interrupts Luke chomping at his nails and he let's out a shaky sigh, packs away his notes and textbooks. He legs are a bit like jelly and he wobbles through the corridors to his locker and dumps everything in there. After he's closed it he turns around and at the end of the corridor stands Ashton. Luke immediately panics but he watches as he talks to that girl he's always with.

And that's when Luke realises. That's his girlfriend. _Of course_ that gorgeous girl is Ashton's girlfriend. How could Luke not realise? He feels sick watching as they chat, the girl hanging on his arm and giggling at everything he says.

There's no way he can ask Ashton out now.

The corridor's empty now as everyone's rushed off for break but Luke stays, although he doesn't want to, watching Ashton talking to that girl.

Soon they depart and Luke panics as Ashton starts walking in his direction but he puts his head down and starts practically running down the corridor to get away from Ashton.

"Luke?" Ashton calls.

Luke speeds up.

"Luke?!" Ashton calls again.

Luke speeds up again. He screws his face up when he hears footsteps jogging closer.

"Luke? I thought it was you," Ashton slows to a walk to fall instep with Luke. "Whatcha runnin' for?" He asks in a funny voice, poking Luke in the side.

Luke's face cracks into a smile. He immediately frowns again. Stupid Ashton.

"Aw," Ashton halts, pulling Luke so he stops with him. "Seriously, what's wrong?"

Luke exhales. He tries for a smile. It's not that hard with stupid Ashton staring at him with his stupid eyes whilst pouting his stupid lips. Stupid. 

"Nothing," he looks at Ashton's face. "Honestly, nothing's wrong." He smiles again. 

"You sure?" Ashton eyes him sceptically.

"I'm sure that I'm sure," Luke nods.

Ashton continues giving Luke a look of scrutiny until Luke gives him a huge grin. Ashton seems satisfied then and continues to walk, nattering on about something, Luke shivering whenever their hands happen to brush.

-

"Did you ask him?!" Calum yells, barrelling into Luke where he's sat behind his desk in Politics.

Luke shushes him loudly and rubs his chest where Calum's elbow landed. Calum pretends to zip his lips then pulls up a chair beside Luke.

"So?" He whispers.

Luke shakes his head.

"WHAT-"

"Shh!" 

Calum pouts. "Why not?!" He hisses. 

"He's got a girlfriend," Luke says.

"What?" Calum questions. "What? No, of course he doesn't. He can't. He can't have a girlfriend Luke."

"Well, he does," Luke says, flipping open his textbook to the right page as their teacher shuffles into the room. 

"Did he tell you that?"

"No, but-"

"Haha!" Calum yells. Luke shoots him a glare and Calum lowers his voice again, rolling his eyes. "You don't know for certain he has a girlfriend if he didn't _say_ he has a girlfriend."

Luke looks at Calum like he's mentally challenged. "When you first meet someone the first thing you say is not whether you have a girlfriend or not," he argues.

"No, but don't you think he'd have at least brought it up by now?-"

"Hood! Hemmings!"

Both boys whip their heads around to the front of the classroom where the teacher stands glaring at them.

"Shut up and take notes on page 79!"

The boys mumble some sorrys and do as they're told, shooting an occasional dirty look at the other as they scribble words into their books.

-

_Come to mine saturday? Need to talk to youuuu_

Luke reads the text from Ashton multiple times to make sure he's actually read it right. Ashton needs to talk to Luke. Luke's half excited because he wants to know why, perhaps it's something good, but the other half is panicking and going into meltdown because what on earth has Luke done that needs talking about? 

Ashton doesn't want to be his friend anymore. That's got to be it. There's no other plausible explanation for such a text.

Luke runs a hand down his face. _Sure :)_ he types back, but he's not smiling.

-

It's become routine for Luke to knock at Ashton's door and for Ashton to answer minus his shirt. It's also routine for Luke to discreetly check him out, watch the way his muscles move like liquid under the golden sheet of Ashton's skin as he runs up the stairs ahead of Luke. 

Luke sits on Ashton's bed, like he always does, and looks at Ashton expectantly. Ashton doesn't notice, he has his back to Luke and is rifling through a drawer attempting to find a clean shirt to fling on. 

Once dressed Ashton sits opposite Luke, like he always does. He doesn't start reeling off words at a mile a minute like he usually does though, he sits quietly, looking at his entangled fingers sitting neatly in his lap.

Luke decides that if anything's going to happen, whether it be good or bad, he's going to have to talk first. "So you said you needed to talk to me?" Luke says, meaning it as a statement but asking it as a question.

"Um, yeah, I do," Ashton finally looks up. He looks worried. Oh god. 

Luke raises his eyebrows as if to say 'go on then'. His heart is beating so fast with the anticipation - he just _knows_ it'll be something bad - that it's clattering about his ribcage.

"Uh, I don't really know how to say this-"

Yeah okay Luke is definitely back down to having only two friends.

"- but, uh -"

Wow can he stop dragging this out so Luke can stop feeling like a mug.

"- I was just wondering if... you'dliketocometopromwithme?"

What?

"What?"

Ashton groans. "See I _knew_ this was a stupid idea."

"No wait, honestly, what?" Luke leans forward.

"I just asked if you wanted to come to prom with me and you obviously don't so I'm sorry I asked I'm just gonna go move to Mexico for a while-"

"Ashton, shut up."

Ashton peers at Luke.

"Are you being serious?" Luke asks.

"About Mexico?"

"No! About asking me to prom."

"Oh," Ashton says. "Yeah, yeah I was."

A surge of warmth rushes through Luke's insides. 

"But what about your girlfriend?" he says, the feeling gone.

"What? What girlfriend?" Ashton looks confused.

"The girl you're always with. Cheerleader, blonde hair. Kacey?"

Ashton looks at Luke then bursts into a fit of laughter that's so hard he looks like he's gonna split his sides.

Luke is very confused. He watches as Ashton calms down.

"Oh, that's funny," he wipes a tear from under his eye. "Kacey's not my girlfriend. I like guys," he says simply.

Luke can feel so many emotions at once he can barely distinguish between then but there's hope in there, hope that Ashton likes him back, there's self-victory, that Ashton isn't dating that slut and there's also unfathomable amounts of happiness because didn't Ashton just ask him to prom???

"Oh," he manages. Then adds quickly "then yes. Yes I'll go to prom with you."

"Yay!" Ashton yells, pulling Luke into a hug that is so tight he can feel his lungs in his throat. Ashton pulls away but holds Luke in place by his shoulders. "This is going to be awesome," he says. Then adds with an excited squeal "our colour theme is going to be black with pastel lilac ties and coursages. It'll match your eyes _perfectlywow is this really happening??_ and _lilac? really Ash??_.   
Ashton grins back and this is the happiest Luke has felt in a long long time.

-

Luke brings it up conversationally the Monday after as he and Calum trudge through the halls to get to form.

"So I'm going to the prom with Ashton,-" 

"WHAT?" Calum yells, jumping in front of Luke so he smashes into his chest.

"Ow, dude what-"

"Shh!!" Calum shushes him, flapping his hand dangerously close to Luke's face. "You're going to the _what_ with _who_?"

Luke can't help the stupid smile that slips on his face, no matter how hard he fights it. "I'm going to the prom with Ashton."

Calum squeals. Literally squeals. Like an eight year old girl. 

Luke tries to shush him but instead dissolves into a fit of giggles.

"This is so awesome man," Calum says once they've calmed down, and he swings his arm around Luke's neck as they start to move back down the corridor.

Luke can't do anything over than sigh in contentment and nod his head wildly.

As they're about to turn the corner at the end of the corridor, Ashton comes whirring past in a blur of books and wavy hair but he automatically stops when he sees Luke.

"Hey Lukey," he beams.

Luke's heart flutters. "Hi," he manages to mumble, his cheeks turning pink.

It's ridiculous how now that Ashton's asked him out he can barely stand to be around him without getting jelly knees whereas when they were friends he could talk to him for hours on end about nothing.

The second bell rings and Calum tells him they're going to be late.

Luke looks at Ashton apologetically. "Sorry, better go."

"No, it's okay," Ashton smiles, rakes a hand through his hair looking effortlessly gorgeous. "I've got to go too. I'll see you at break, yeah?"

Luke says yes and Ashton gives him a dimpley smile, to which Luke gives a matching one, and they go in opposite directions. 

"You know," Calum says as they all but run through the corridors. "This you and Ashton thing is great and everything," he pauses to breathe. "But you make me feel quite sick."

Luke takes it as a compliment.

-

There's a week to go and prom fever is spreading throughout the school. 

There's a countdown banner strung across the main corridor and each day someone will rip down a number until it says zero. Girls talk about their dresses and the limos they've hired as Luke passes through the halls and he's kind of glad he's going with someone otherwise he'd be annoyed as hell with having to listen to it all day long.

Calum's really excited too, and Luke finds out why. Kirsty is very pretty. (Her arse is pretty great.)

Ashton's been on tux duty. And he has indeed got the two of them lilac ties. And coursages. Luke rolled his eyes when he went to the shop to get the tux fitted properly and called Ashton an idiot and Ashton huffed and pouted at him. Luke thought it was funny until the lady taking up his trousers told him the lilac really brought out the blue in his eyes. Ashton laughed and stuck his tongue out in victory, leaving Luke feeling a little silly.

Everyone and everything is just so happy at the moment, and if Luke wasn't feeling it he'd probably be doubting it. Doubting the situation and thinking it was too good to be true.

-

The final bell of the day rings. There's three days until prom.

Luke doesn't join the surge of students streaming through the doorway, instead he walks down the corridor into the music room. He wants to work on this song he's been writing that he thinks he might play at the concert his class has to do in order to pass. 

He stays for around an hour, plucking at the strings and finding patterns that might work. All the while he's scribbling down lyrics, and somewhere along the way his song turns into a cheesy love song that may or may not be about Ashton.

Luke sighs. He isn't really getting anywhere with this and he's really hungry. He decides to call it a day and slings his guitar onto his back, calling a goodbye to his teacher.

He slips from the room and into the hall, making his way to the exit. He's halfway there when he remembers there's some unfinished Psychology papers in his locker that his teacher wants by tomorrow. He turns back on himself, whistling a tune that bounces off the concrete walls of the empty halls.

As Luke approaches his locker he hears the soft murmuring of voices under the pierce of his whistle. He stops and listens, trying to find where the voices are coming from. He's curious, he thought everyone had left. 

As he follows the sound he walks past his locker and he's about to turn the corner when down the adjacent corridor he finds the source of the voices. He leaps back and peers around the edge of the wall, looking as Ashton talks to Kacey.

He can hear what they're saying now almost perfectly. 

"So you're definitely going with him right?" That's Kacey.

"Yup," Ashton says with a nod.

"Yes!" Kacey high-fives him.

Luke smiles, thinking she's happy for him.   
"Can't believe he fell for it," she snickers.

As Ashton 'mmm's in response Luke feels his stomach fall out of his arse. He feels sick. What is she talking about?

"Like why would someone as popular and gorgeous as you Ash, want to go to prom with a scrawny little nerd?" She continues, cackling. "If you dump him during the slow dance at prom then you've definitely won the bet."

Bet? Luke's heartbeat is in his ears, his legs are shaking and he wants to throw up all over Ashton and his stupid bitch of a friend. He's mad, so mad, but he wants to run away and cry so much he has no tears left.

He can't stand and listen to this crap anymore. Silently he flees from the scene, skipping the bus and running all the way back to his house.

-

The next day at school and Calum is his own personal guard dog, growling at anyone who comes too close. Of course Luke phoned Calum and told him what happened. Calum got just about as mad as Luke, and promised he'd look after him.

Luke is sad. His eyes are puffy from not sleeping and his lips are red and frosted with dry skin from where he's been tearing them with his teeth. Even the way he walks is sad.

Calum walks beside him, talking quietly. He keeps telling Luke it'll be okay and that he can share some of his mum's special pasta she made him for lunch and that if he took Psychology he would totally let him copy his work that Luke never managed to do. Luke has to smile at his best friend's efforts, but his face turns to stone when he sees Ashton coming towards them.

He doesn't have a clue Luke knows. "Morning Lukey," he chimes.

Calum snarls and Luke ducks his head.

Ashton's confused. "What's up?" He questions, looking sad.

"I don't want to talk to you," Luke says. He's proud of himself for not letting his voice waver.

"What, why?-"

"He said he doesn't want to talk, just leave!" Calum explodes.

Surrounding people turn to see what the commotion's about but Calum throws them all a glare and they scamper away. 

Ashton looks hurt. "Oh. Okay," he pushes his fringe off his forehead. "Talk to you later then?"

Calum's already dragging Luke away. "You try it mate," he calls behind him.

Luke turns to Calum when they're a safe enough distance away. "Thanks," he mumbles. 

"Don't mention it," Calum squeezes him into a tight hug and Luke just collapses against his chest for a moment.

Once he's regained himself they slump off to form. When they get there Luke slips a hand into his bag and pulls out his glasses case. In a small act of defiance, he puts his glasses back on. It makes him feel a little better.

-

Luke avoids Ashton for the whole rest of the day, hiding behind lockers and ducking under staircases even when he's at the opposite end of the hallway. It's ridiculous and he's gonna have to face him soon, but he'd rather it wasn't too soon.

He's been successful in his avoidance, right up until lunch. Luke spent the hour picking at his sandwich and listening to Calum filling Michael in on the whole situation. Michael petted his hair and accidentally flattened Luke's quiff in the process but he didn't mind, just smoothed his fringe across his forehead like how it was before. 

And then the bell went. The three got up and went their separate ways, which is where everything went wrong. As Luke was about to walk around the corner and into his History class, an arm clasped around his middle, the other hand over his mouth and pulled him backwards. Luke's yells were muffled by their palm and they continued to drag Luke further and further away from his class. 

Luke's obviously panicking right now because he has no idea who this person is and where they're taking him but it looks like they're going to the school's car park considering they've just made it through reception without even a single glance from the receptionists. It's only when they're outside and approaching a car does Luke's brain kick in. He licks a thick wet stripe right across the person's palm.

They leap away from Luke and Luke yells "a-ha!" victoriously. Until he sees that the person is Ashton, where he automatically shuts up ducks his head so far down his nose his on his chest and both shoulders are practically touching.

"Lu-"

"I don't want to talk to you," Luke cuts off briskly. 

He starts to head back to the reception so he can get on with the rest of this shitty ass day when he feels Ashton grab his elbow to stop him.

"Just tell me why you're avoiding me," it sounds like a plea. Luke wants to laugh.

"Don't play dumb," he turns around, snarling like an angry dog and ripping Ashton's hand from his arm. He's done pretending like he doesn't know and that he's not bothered because he _is_ bothered, and suddenly he's angry, so so angry and he has to get it out of him. "You think that just because you're hot and popular you can go around making bets with your slutty friends where you ask the biggest nerd you can find to prom?"

Ashton stares in disbelief.

"Well you can't!" Luke roars on, beginning to pace around.

"How did you find out?" Ashton asks after swallowing.

"I heard you and that bitch Kacey talking in the hall," Luke spits. "I can't believe anyone in the world would do that Ashton, let alone you. Why the fuck would you do that? It's bad enough that I fell for it but then you got me thinking that you fucking liked me back!" Luke turns suddenly, attention fully on Ashton.

"Do you know what, fuck you." He says simply. "Don't ever talk to me again." 

With that he slips back into the school building, leaving a dumbfounded Ashton alone in the car park.

-

It's prom night and Luke is sat in his room wallowing in self-pity as he plucks at his guitar's strings writing crappy love songs about his unfixable broken heart. 

Calum had been offering to ditch prom and stay with him but Luke had refused, not wanting to let his pathetic stupidity ruin Calum's chances with Kirsty. He knew that she really liked him.

Prom started an hour ago and every ten minutes Luke receives picture messages from Calum of his kicked puppy dog eyes and pout and even though he feels like shit they're making Luke smile. The last one he sent featured an already drunk-looking Michael. (He suspects he spiked the punch considering the school wouldn't dare condone underage drinking). 

Luke puts his phone down and sighs. He takes the guitar out of his lap then slumps off downstairs into the kitchen. His mum's out with some friends so he's home alone, left to fend for himself. There's hardly any food and Luke can't be bothered to scrounge around trying to make something so he just orders a pizza.

Whilst waiting for the delivery guy he flips on the tv and settles on a channel airing Not Another Teen Movie. He rolls his eyes but settles into the cushions, cradling the remote like a small child. About ten minutes later and just after Janey's fallen through the stairs, the doorbell chimes.

Luke pushes his glasses up to the bridge of his nose and goes to the door, fumbling in his back pocket for his wallet.

"11.50, yeah?" Luke mumbles, fishing around in his wallet trying to find the right note.

"They usually pay me after," he hears a familiar voice joke.

Luke's eyes snap up to stupid Ashton's stupid grinning face and his hand flies to the door so he can slam it shut but Ashton's foot stops him from doing so.

"Let me explain," he says, voice soft, through the gap the width of his foot.

Usually Luke'd give in, especially because of _that_ voice but no, he doesn't want to hear it.

"No need to explain," Luke says loudly, still trying to ram the door shut. Ashton yelps but doesn't move his foot. "I know what happened."

"No you don't!" Ashton says, almost desperate.

"Yes I do; you fucked me over now I hate you," Luke says.

Ashton sighs. "I was an arse, I know that. If you won't let me explain then at least let me apologise?"

Luke peers at Ashton through the gap that's getting smaller and smaller as his foot starts to slip. Luke sighs and opens the door to let Ashton in. Only because he deserves it.

He walks back into the living room leaving Ashton to follow him. 

Luke sits back on his sofa, not visibly on edge yet not entirely comfortable. Ashton sits on the adjacent sofa, looking anywhere but at Luke. After the silence has enveloped them for at least five minutes, Luke clears his throat.

Finally Ashton looks at him.

Luke doesn't say anything, just looks at him like _well?_

Ashton sighs and rakes a hand through his wavy hair. "What I did was wrong-"

Luke snorts. Ashton ignores it.

"-and I'm very aware of that. But at the beginning, when I didn't know you, I wasn't aware of that. When Kacey bet me to turn you into a popular kid and take you to prom I just took it because it'd make me look cool if I managed it. I wasn't thinking of you and your feelings when I told her I'd do it."

He pauses. This time before he starts talking he looks directly at Luke.

"And when I told her I'd do it, I didn't know that you'd turn out to be a really cool guy. I didn't think that I'd start to like you or we'd become so close, I just thought I'd do it and get it over with. But then it started to get a bit messy and I started to feel bad because I actually really liked you and I tried to back out of the bet so many times but Kacey wouldn't let me. And I know that it's not excusable and that it doesn't make this whole thing okay but I'm sorry Luke," he sighs and puts his head in his hands for a minute. Luke watches.

Ashton looks back up. "I'm sorry that you had to find out the way you did and I'm sorry that we're probably not going to be friends anymore. If it means anything, I still like you?"

When Luke doesn't say anything Ashton sighs. "Well, I guess I better go," he makes a move to stand up but Luke's voice stops him.

"Wait," he croaks. 

Ashton halts immediately, his eyes had never left Luke. He pats the space beside him and Ashton sits obediently.

Luke closes his eyes and breathes. "That's all true right? Not a load of bullshit you've made up to make yourself sound better?"

"No, god no," Ashton breathes. His green eyes are swimming with sincerity and Luke's about to dive in.

"And if I forgive you, we can be friends?"

Ashton nods. "Or maybe more..."

Luke quirks an eyebrow. "What?"

Ashton wants to giggle but he doesn't. "I'm not stupid Luke," he says, rolling his eyes. "I've seen the way you check me out and stutter when I'm half naked - you like me, right?"

"Well, I - erm, I," Luke splutters. 

Ashton does giggle this time. "I'm taking that as a yes-" Luke's cheeks flame "-which is good, because I quite like you too."

Luke chokes on his own spit. Ashton likes him. One minute he's alone on prom night and the next Ashton wants to be more than friends - what is his life?

"Wait," Luke says. "Why aren't you at prom?"

"Can't go without my date, can I?" Ashton says.

Luke raises an eyebrow at him. "Hang on," he says. "Did you come here to apologise in hopes I'd accept then you'd whisk us off to prom and live happily ever after?"

"Pretty much," Ashton grins goofily. "The tuxes are in my car."

Luke breaks into a grin. "You're such an idiot."

Ashton just laughs back. They fall into a comfortable silence before Ashton pipes up. "So am I forgiven then?"

Luke smiles at him. "'Course you are."

"And can we be more than friends?" Ashton's looking up at Luke through his obscenely long eyelashes and Luke feels as though he's been waiting his whole life for this moment.

"Yes," he tells him, certainty in his voice.

Ashton grins and then his face falls and he looks into his lap. "Can I er, can I kiss you?"

It's the first time Luke's seen Ashton nervous and he can't stop the giggle from bubbling out between his lips. He nods, smile threatening to crack his face in two.

Ashton leans forward and rests a hand on Luke's face. Luke leans into the touch and Ashton examines Luke's face. "So pretty," he murmurs, stroking Luke's bottom lip with his thumb and just as he's about to touch his lips to Luke's the doorbell pierces the air.

Ashton sighs and Luke laughs. "I ordered pizza," he explains, before leaping up to get it. 

Luke's so dizzy and high on happiness he pretty much floats to the door and let's the delivery guy keep the change from his 20. The guy thanks him and tips his pizza cap at Luke and Luke just laughs and tells him to have a great night.

He skips back into the room and settles beside Ashton.

Ashton leans forward to kiss Luke and Luke jerks back. "No no," he says, tapping Ashton on the nose. "Don't want the pizza to get cold."

Ashton frowns and grumbles something like _since when did you become such a tease?_ but Luke doesn't answer, just grins and opens the box.

-

It's a while later and they've finished the pizza and Luke's feeling very fat.

"Er, you didn't want to go prom still, did you?" He asks.

"Not really," Ashton says, patting his also rather bloated stomach.

Luke laughs and nuzzles his head into Ashton's shoulder to get comfy. Ashton drapes his arm over Luke's bony shoulders and Luke presses his nose into Ashton's chest, sighing in contentment. They sit like that for a while, in silence, soaking up the other's company.

Ashton noses Luke's temple. Luke looks up and Ashton leans down, finally kissing Luke's pink mouth. It's short and sweet and tastes a bit like pepperoni, it leaves Luke's head spinning and his heart pounding. 

Ashton pecks his lips a couple more times before they silently decide it's time to go to sleep, and they slide onto their backs, Luke curled into Ashton's side like an over-grown cat. There's nothing filling the air besides the ticking of the clock on the wall and the simultaneous _inhale, exhale_ of Luke and Ashton's breathing and although there's not much going on, Luke's never felt more alive.

"Ashton?"

"Mm?" Ashton asks, already pretty much asleep.

"Did you plan for this whole thing to be like something out of a crappy movie?"

Ashton snorts. "Not really, but it's a good thing right?"

Luke knows Ashton's tired but suddenly all he wants to do is talk. "Why's that?"

"Because those movies make millions," Ashton snuggles further into the cushions and tightens his grip around Luke's waist. "So they must be alright if people want to go and see it."

Luke nods, not that Ashton can see in the darkness of Luke's living room. 

"But come on," he continues. "I've seen The Notebook. This is going to be a _whole_ lot better than that."

Luke laughs and goes to say something else but Ashton shushes him, murmurs a "sleepy time now Lukey" and Luke gives in, falling asleep beside Ashton with the stupidest smile ever on his face. 

He just knows that Ashton's right.

**Author's Note:**

> I clearly suck at endings bye


End file.
